Letter: Shrinking poverty will strengthen our country

I just read the most shocking, smug, selfish letter, "Slaughter chasing an unattainable ideal" (Jan. 24). The writer was shocked that Rep. Louise Slaughter said, "Eliminating poverty is a moral imperative." I was dismayed at the writer's attitude.

Of course we can never eliminate poverty entirely, but it is our moral imperative to try to reduce it wherever possible. The writer distorted the spirit of Jesus' words to rationalize not helping them. How hypocritical to quote Christ to justify un-Christian beliefs.

He cited Darwin's theory of survival of the fittest, but that concerns physical, not economic, survival. Incredibly, the writer states that Slaughter is "trying to justify or glorify our bankruptcy" with her "radical" views, and terms any attempt to eliminate poverty as "dangerous." I submit that ignoring poverty is a danger to our society. Decreasing poverty would help the economy in the long run, even if it costs money initially.